I've been using the AstroSolar film from Baader Planetariumhttp://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/baader-astrosolar-a4-nd50-safety-film-sheet.htmlsince the 1999 eclipse. This comes in a silver-coloured sheet which I've used to make caps to go on the front of my 'scopes and camera lenses, with the left-over offcuts being used for solar-specs. Looking or imaging through this film gives a "white-light" image of the solar disk, against which sunspots (or transiting objects) appear black.

But having used up all my stock of AstroSolar, when I came to order some more I came across this alternative from Seymour Solar:http://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/seymour-solar-12-x-12-thin-film-solar-sheet.htmlThis is designed to render the solar disk in a pleasing yellow-orange colour, rather than antiseptic white. So on Saturday I made a new filter-cap for my StarWave 80ED (no doubt why it was cloudy all day yesterday?). But I did manage a quick squint through it this morning, and should get a better chance to test it tomorrow...

Author:

rwilkinson [ Tue Feb 23, 2016 12:44 pm ]

Post subject:

Re: Solar observing film

rwilkinson wrote:

should get a better chance to test it tomorrow...

The Sun definitely looked much better through the eyepiece in Seymour-colo(u)r than Baader-mono. I fitted my old Pentax DSLR and captured this: